Page 69 of Under Your Spell

‘Stop.’ I cut her off with a wave of my hand. My voice is shrill. ‘I know why you think that, but you need to understand. That’s just Theo being Theo. It’s what he’s like. He’s charming; he’s a six-foot-tall bag of muscles and charisma; he’s tactile and flirty. He’s like that with everyone.’

My sisters look at me. Lil looks sad. Serena is frowning.

‘Do you really think that?’ Serena asks.

‘Of course I do! You’re the one who told me he was a terrible flirt, that he dazzles people, that he sleeps around, which, you know, no judgement, but that’s just not what I’m looking for. If I was looking for anything at all. Which I’m not.’

Serena shifts uncomfortably. ‘I know what I said, and I still haven’t exactly changed my mind on all of that, but you really need to know that whoever that is,’ – she gestures over her shoulder towards the beach where Petty seems to be trying to organize an egg-and-spoon race while Henry and Theo elaborately stretch their muscles like they’re preparing for the Olympics – ‘is not the Theo Eliott I was talking about.’

‘Right,’ I say, ‘so you’re saying this isn’t the real him, this is just… I don’t know, holiday Theo, and we’ve been in a little bubble, the two of us on our own. And when he’s back in the real world, then he’ll be the man you know, the man you’ve known for years.’

‘Or, maybe this is the real him, Clemmie,’ Lil says, determined as always to see the best in people. ‘He seems so genuine. This doesn’t feel like a performance to me. Does it feel that way to you?’

I stare at the ground. ‘No. But maybe that’s what makes him so dangerous.’

They both fall quiet again before Lil speaks. ‘Clemmie,’ – her voice is gentle – ‘you’re not the only one who would have issues trusting someone in Theo’s position. It’s not like Serena and I have been falling over ourselves to date people in the industry, and we’re in the industry. We know better than anyone that there are plenty of Ripp Harrises out there.’

Serena lets out a snort of agreement.

‘But Theo?’ Lil reaches out, takes my hand and squeezes it. ‘He isn’t one of them. I can feel it.’

Serena looks less convinced, but for whatever reason she chooses to stay silent.

‘And what about Sam?’ I say, and they both flinch at the name. ‘I didn’t think he was like Ripp either, and look how that ended up. I honestly don’t think I could go through anything like that again. Not just the breakup, but everything around it, the whole circus.’

‘Sam was a vicious little dickhead,’ Serena spits out. ‘Whatever doubts I might have about Theo, I can tell you for a fact they are not in the same league.’

‘It doesn’t even matter,’ I insist. ‘I get what you’re saying and why you think it, but Theo is a rock star who lives in LA. We’re only stuck here together for a few more days. The list of reasons we would never work is as long as my arm. There’s not going to be anything between us regardless of how I may or may not feel or what may or may not have happened in the past. He’s not for me. That’s what you said, Serena, and you were totally right.’

For once, my sister doesn’t look pleased to be told she knows best. ‘These just sound like excuses,’ she says slowly.

‘They’re not excuses. They’re facts.’ I wish I didn’t sound like I was trying to convince myself as much as them.

‘It’s just that… you’re different, Clemmie,’ Lil says slowly. ‘I don’t know if it’s being here or if it’s breaking up with Len, or if it’s Theo, or some combination of all of those things, but something has changed. In a good way. You seem… lighter. I don’t want to see you talk yourself out of something that could be wonderful because you’re scared.’

‘I’m not scared,’ I insist. ‘I’m just being realistic. Practical.’ Before they can protest further, I say, ‘Now, can we go back and finish celebrating my birthday, please? Because before you leave, I am going to absolutely destroy you both in an egg-and-spoon race.’

And with that, the interrogation ends, because, as I know very well, even when they’re busy worrying about my love life, neither one of my sisters is physically capable of resisting such a challenge.

Later, when Theo and I wave goodbye to everyone, I have mostly managed to push the conversation with my sisters out of my mind.

I have mostly managed to ignore the long, beaming looks from not just my mother, but from Petty and Ava too when they thought I wasn’t looking.

I have mostly managed to resist leaning into Theo’s touch like a besotted Labrador. Mostly.

‘Shall we go down to the beach and watch the sunset?’ Theo asks. ‘We should make the most of the fire pit before David’s guys come and take it away tomorrow.’

I eye him narrowly. ‘You’ve got more marshmallows, haven’t you? I thought you told Serena we’d run out.’

‘I kept a stash back, just for us, birthday girl.’

‘How selfless of you to be thinking only of my happiness.’

‘Always.’

We head back down to the beach and Theo makes for the bar, pulling out a bag of marshmallows from behind the fancy, fruity, alcohol-free beer.

‘I knew your sister would never look here,’ he says gleefully.